The field of the invention relates generally to a blank and a container formed from the blank and more particularly, to a container having an automatically locking bottom wherein the container may be collapsed without breaking bonds between bottom panels and re-erected without applying additional adhesive material to the bottom panels.
Containers are frequently utilized to store and aid in transporting products. These containers can be square, hexagonal, or octagonal. The shape of the container can provide additional strength to the container. For example, octagonal-shaped containers provide greater resistance to bulge over conventional rectangular, square or even hexagonal-shaped containers. An octagonal-shaped container may also provide increased stacking strength.
In at least some known cases, an empty container can be shipped in a knocked-down flat state and opened to form an assembled container that is ready for use. Shipping and storing containers in a knocked-down flat state saves money and space, however, the size and configuration of the container can make the setup of the container difficult for an individual to complete. A container that cannot be knocked-down flat or a container that can be knocked-down flat but is difficult to erect can cause unwanted expenses and wasted time.
One known carton, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,007,869, includes an automatically-forming bottom. The blank used to form the carton includes four side panels and a bottom panel extending from each of the four side panels. A triangular glue flap extends from an outer edge of each of the two center bottom panels. The carton construction is an overlapped construction, and as such, a pair of opposing bottom flaps are of differing lengths such that one bottom panel of the pair overlaps the other bottom panel of the pair when the carton is erected. The bottom of the carton described in the '869 Patent is formed by folding the bottom panels over onto the side panels and reversely folding the triangular glue flaps as the bottom panels are folded over. The triangular glue flaps and the corresponding portion of the bottom panels are glued together when the blank is folded to form the carton. In a collapsed condition, the bottom panels are positioned within the side walls of the carton. From the collapsed condition, the four-sided carton is erected by applying pressure to the edges of the carton causing it to open into a rectangular shape. At the same time, due to the interconnection of the bottom panels by the triangular glue flaps of the carton, the bottom panels form a secured bottom.
Another known container, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,714, is a collapsible grocery container made of light-weight plastic or cardboard for receiving a bag of groceries. The container is a four-sided box that may be stored in an upright, folded position. The container includes two bottom wings and two bottom flaps that are folded flush against side, front, and back walls, respectively, when the container is in the folded position. A portion of each bottom flap is glued to an adjacent wing. Each bottom flap includes a notch portion along the bottom edge and also includes a slot that fits into the notch portion on the opposing bottom flap. Thus, the bottom flaps will lock into place with each other when a grocery bag is in the container.
Neither the '829 Patent nor the '714 Patent include eight side walls. One known container, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,437, includes eights side walls, however, when the container described in the '437 Patent is collapsed, the bottom walls extend outward from bottom edges of the side walls, rather than being received within the side walls. As such, the knocked-down '437 container has a larger area as compared to containers that include bottom panels that are received within the side walls when the container is knocked down, and therefore the '437 container requires more space for storage and is more susceptible to damage. Accordingly, a need exists for an eight-sided container that may be knocked down and re-erected without additional adhesive and/or tape, wherein bottom panels of the container are received within side walls of the container when the container is knocked down flat.